Broken
by achillesheel02
Summary: Post TLO, "He's becoming a nuisance. How do we solve this little problem of ours?" "Easy. Breaking his bones wouldn't do anything to him. he has a lot of spirit." "What if we break his spirit?" "Interesting." "But how will we do that?" "We break the one who has his heart. the girl."
1. Chapter 1

Do you know that feeling? The feeling when something significant is happening? The one where your heart is suddenly racing and your breathing rate is faster than normal? And when your heart skips a beat when something bad happens to your loved one?

I gripped the metal bars tightly, hoping that once, _just _once, something fortunate could happen to me. Annabeth was thrown heftily to the ground, groaning in pain. Her lips were bloodied, and I noticed sadly that her kneecap was broken. She was on the other side of the bars. I hated Zeus, the gods (the Fates!) for making this fate for me. Her attacker loomed above her, with a sadistic grin.

"Please, Metis," my legs gave way, and I fell to my knees, my hands still gripping the bars. "Stop. Just stop. Tell me what you want from me." My voice was weak.

Metis elegantly strolled to the bars, smiling wickedly, "Oh I love it when we put a hero to his knees." She raised her voice, "I took Olympus' golden boy and brought him to our level." She cackled. "Sorry Perseus, but as much as I want to save your little girlfriend," Annabeth was slowly getting back up, "these orders came from up high," Metis turned around and scissor kicked Annabeth in the face.

I cringed. "Why are you doing this?"

"Because you've been a pest we've been trying to dispose of for a substantial amount of time. Not only have you destroyed most of my minions, but you've caused many setbacks in the general plan. _That, _my dear, is why I'm doing this." She caught Annabeth's hair, and kneed her.

"I'll stop. I'll stop following you."

Metis chuckled, "Oh please. You won't stop."

"I will! Just let Annabeth go. I'm the one you want. I'm the Chosen one!"

"Oh but that's no fun, young 'Chosen one.'" Metis clutched Annabeth's neck, and Annabeth struggled to breathe.

"Tell me what you want, Metis!" I got up, "I'll give it to you if you stop hurting Annabeth."

Annabeth managed to kick Metis on the face with her good knee. Then she fell to the ground and turned to me, "Don't give her anything Percy. We can win this. Don't let her use—"

She couldn't finish the sentence, because Metis had quickly recovered and rushed to her at a great speed and threw her against a wall. Annabeth shrieked; now her shoulder was also broken. She couldn't get up after that.

I screamed and started slamming myself against the bars, hoping any would be weak. It was also the only thing I could channel my anger to. Metis had truly found my weakness: Annabeth. I hated it; I hated the fact that I had so much power yet very little at the same time. **(A/N – will explain later IF this story has a future, hopefully). ** Annabeth was not even supposed to be in the middle of this. We were supposed to have hung our capes; we were supposed to be in Montauk for our vacation…

"I really don't like you Athena spawn demigods. Goddess of wisdom, my eye. I am the true lord of wisdom!" she slapped Annabeth awake after grabbing her by the arm.

"Tell me, Chosen one, how much are you willing to risk for her?"

"Everything."

I kept quiet as the fastest series of events happened. Annabeth removed her dagger and stabbed Metis on the shoulder. Metis shrieked, the stabbed area started fizzing. For a split second, I smiled. _That's my Annabeth._ She lurched towards me, and soon I was staring at her bloodied face. Between the bars she grabbed my face and kissed me, even though it seemed like an inappropriate time.

Then she whispered, "I love you." Along with a gasp.

Metis had somehow conjured a sword, and ran it through Annabeth. It was pretty fast, no one could avoid that hit.

My heart skipped a beat. I was speechless. Annabeth had dropped on the floor, on a puddle of her own blood. Slowly, I sank to the ground.

An empusa slithered into the room, "Your highness, the enemies had ambushed us! We are surrounded by most of the demigods. Defeat is imminent."

Metis waved her hand dismissively, still looking at Annabeth's body, "Retreat while you can. I have my own method of escape. And anyway, I wouldn't call it a total defeat," she grinned and snapped her fingers and vanished. The empusa paid us no attention and slithered away for her life.

The metal bars also dissolved into nothingness. I made for Annabeth, holding her in my arms. My shirt was already damp with her blood. I slowly sobbed, as I kept her head buried in my chest.

"Why?" I said to no one in particular.

Nico cantered into the room. I could hear the clank of his sword on the floor.

"Percy," he started, but seemed to be at a loss of words.

"She's gone, Nico, she's…"

"No…" Thalia, who rushed in later, gasped. She dropped to the ground on her knees, cupping her face.

They did it. They finally broke me.


	2. Chapter 2

**TWO WEEKS AGO**

"Percy Jackson, I have a quest for you."

"What do I need to do?"

She rummaged for something in her bag and took out a list. _Grocery, _I groaned inwardly. "I need you to go shopping for me."

Annabeth had already dressed for her morning classes. She wore a pair of white jeans short and a blue tank top. She looked stunning.

I had already positioned myself nicely on the couch with the remote swiftly in reach. Today was supposed to be my day off.

It had been a year and a half since the epic Titan War that took place in New York. After that event, Annabeth and I had planned to continue our lives as normally as possible. It was hard; a son of Poseidon and a daughter of Athena living together, that was a scent that was bound to be picked up by a few big mythological monsters.

Oh yeah, I _did _say 'live together.' Annabeth moved in to my place about two months ago. Athena and my mother strongly vetoed even the idea of moving together, and we were in a brawl for months, but they finally gave in and accepted the fact. The men of the family accepted it already. Poseidon, Paul and Annabeth's dad were surprisingly okay with the plan. They said it was a good idea because we needed to be independent. But all of them did send one message clearly: "WE DO NOT WANT ANY GRANDCHILDREN."

So yeah, Annabeth and I were just about to finish our last high school year. Camp Half blood taught us well; the occasional monster to meet us on the way to school would be unlucky. Speaking of, we rarely visited Camp Half blood now, because we decided to start a new War-free life, and camp was tying us down to our past memories, memories that we would want to forget. Chiron would call now and then, some friends would visit; it was impossible to forget everything about camp. Our parents were gods anyway. It would be a _tad _bit hard avoiding them when doing our day-to-day activities.

"Don't be such a couch potato, Seaweed brain." She went to the kitchen and poured a cup of coffee. "Nico called, by the way."

"And?" I sat up and looked over the counter, where she was standing with a newspaper. Don't get me wrong, Nico was my best friend along with Grover and all, but every time he called Annabeth instead of me it was normally a message of 'end-of-the-world' nature.

The last time he had called Annabeth, last summer, some Giant was wreaking havoc around the coast. Thankfully it was handled pretty well with the new batch of demigods that Grover and the other satyrs had sent to Camp Half blood. I was even told that there was a new 'Percy Jackson' there. I tried not to feel jealous.

"He said he wants my help." She said without looking up from the newspaper.

I sighed, "Annabeth…"

"Percy," she put down the newspaper, "he said that this one's pretty urgent. As in, 'prophecy-specific' urgent. We can't ignore that." I walked up to her.

"I guess you're right. But why didn't Nico tell me this himself?"

"Well, first, he knows how touchy touchy you get when he offers a quest for either you or me. Even though I know that you'd definitely want to take it up. And he needs me."

I turned away. "He shouldn't need you. He's my best friend. He knows we're trying to leave that life behind."

She cupped my face, "Don't blame Nico. The decision was mine." She gave me a peck on my lips, "Percy, you're freaking out over nothing. What could go wrong?"

**PRESENT**

I looked at my hands tentatively. They were shaking. They were still stained with Annabeth's blood. Looking down at the sink, I wondered how the _hell _things got this bad.

Metis was going to pay for this.

Nico stood nervously beside Annabeth's body. She was placed on a flat surface in one of the rooms at the Big House in camp. Thalia arrived shortly after.

"Chiron said he's on his way. Nico, whatever you've done, you have to tell Percy." Thalia's tone was accusing. She knew of the plan, but still was shocked at the sight of her dead friend less than twenty-four hours ago.

Nico turned to Thalia, his eyes were hollow. "Thalia, I don't know what's happening. Annabeth is supposed to have woken up by now. The spell should have saved her."

Thalia looked confused. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, she's not dead. But she's not alive either." Nico covered his face with his palms, "I knew this was a bad idea." He sniffed.

Thalia only knew, from Annabeth, that she and Nico had formulated a plan. And it involved Annabeth dying. She didn't let Annabeth go into the specifics because she trusted her best friend. Now she's dead, Metis is now one step closer to finishing her plan and Percy, our last hope, is grieved.

"Nico, tell me everything you planned with Annabeth."


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey guys, can you please read my new story called I Love You, **

s/8448454/1/I-Love-You

**my take on when Percy tells Annabeth that he loves her. I'm sure it'll be interesting. Anyway…**

**CHAPTER 3**

"I called Annabeth a few days after Rachel spewed out a new prophecy to us. Once we figured out the prophecy was hinting that a new and one of the wisest enemies has risen, who we later found out was Metis, we had to figure out a plan. You see, once some of the new demigods tracked her, we didn't know what exactly she was looking for, Annabeth and I chased her around. None of you guys knew what was happening exactly, except Chiron.

"She never took us head to head. I think she wasn't at her full power yet. She later revealed to us that she was also planning on freeing Prometheus. I can't imagine those two combined what they would do or what exactly they were planning. Annabeth came up with an ingenious plan. Since we couldn't kill her; she was immortal, Annabeth found a spell, in an ancient library up in Olympus the time she was still designing the place, of making her mortal: by tying her to a demigod's soul."

Thalia gritted her teeth, "Nico! How could you—"

"Just let me finish. We contacted Hecate since she was pretty good at spells and, frankly, we didn't want to mess this up. When the altar was made and some potions were gathered, I volunteered to be the demigod to die. Annabeth refused this, saying that the prophecy had specified that _she _was the one who was supposed to sacrifice herself. I was totally against the idea, and in the end, the spell was made and…I was the sacrifice."

Thalia straight up slapped Nico across the face. "I can't believe you did all this without telling me!" her eyes were as moist as a frog's. Nico didn't know what to say. Suddenly she hugged him.

"Why would you even offer yourself up? You have people…here who love you. And you were just going to leave them?" Thalia was tearing up. She backed away.

Nico said slowly, "Thalia, it was a sacrifice I was willing to make. To save the people I love."

"Were you even going to say goodbye?"

Nico looked down. "I wouldn't have the strength to." Chiron still hadn't arrived yet. "Last week, we had her right where we wanted her. But it's pretty hard trying to fool the Titaness of wisdom, as she was always two steps ahead. The week continued successfully; we foiled her plans and were catching up to her. The gods were as useless as usual, but they did chip in a time or two.

"The spell had a certain condition. Only one of the two could kill the other for the spell to work. As in, either Metis had to kill me, or I had to kill her for both of us to die. Paradoxical, eh?"

Thalia kept quiet. Nico could see the fumes coming out of her head. So he continued.

"Yesterday, she kidnapped Percy. In return she wanted Annabeth. Annabeth IMed me that she was on the way to face Metis. She said that she had already removed the spell on me and had applied it to herself earlier she expected Metis to finish her. I tried to stop her, but she didn't want to hear it. On the plus side, she said that Hecate had already made a resurrection spell or something like that. So she told me to retrieve her body and then wait for her to come back. By the time she told me the location, she had already entered the enemy's lair. So…yeah."

Thalia covered her face with the palms of her hands. "You have to tell Percy."

Nico groaned. Thalia continued, "You haven't seen him lately, Nico. He's miserable. At least give him some hope. I mean, isn't that news you'd want to hear if I had been the one who died, hypothetically?"

Nico sighed. "You have a point. but where the Hades is Chiron?"

As if on cue, Chiron galloped into the household. He was sweating, as if he was running around the island.

"Chiron, what's wrong?" Thalia asked.

"Have you two by any chance seen Percy passing by here?"

They shook their heads. "Why?"

"He left a note saying that he was going to avenge Annabeth's death." Chiron said, inhaling, "Presumably, he's going to take down Metis, all by himself."

Nico groaned again. _Of course he would do something like that._

"But, wait, that isn't all bad, since Metis is a mortal now." Thalia said hopefully.

Chiron looked at Thalia as if she had lost her mind, "Since when?"

Once again, Nico told Chiron the story. Chiron looked happy yet disappointed, "Nico, you should have told me what happened. I could have helped."

Nico was sick of people telling him what he did wrong. "Enough. What's done was done, Chiron."

"For all we know, Percy might be going into a trap."

Thalia was bewildered, "What do you mean? He's going to catch her when she's most vulnerable."

Chiron looked perturbed. "This is not just a regular Titan we're up against. Metis is the embodiment of wisdom, long before Athena. You cannot easily trick her. She has something up her sleeve surely."

Thalia looked at Nico with a feeling of dread. She had been meaning to tell him something important before Percy had been kidnapped but it looked like it'll have to wait. "Let's go. Percy needs our help."


	4. Chapter 4

**ONE WEEK AGO**

"Nico, we've finally found the location of Metis. To be honest, I'm totally surprised how we could do this quest without the gods' assistance." Annabeth smiled at Nico.

"Thanks, by the way. I knew I couldn't do this without you. But I guess Percy thought different…" he said, looking down.

As they walked down to the stables, Annabeth stopped him by holding his shoulder. "Nico, you don't have to feel bad just because Percy disagrees with what I do. It's just, sometimes he can get protective." She said with a hint of anger.

Nico looked at her face, "He likes you and doesn't want you to get hurt is all." He walked ahead of her.

Annabeth caught up to his pace. When they reached the stables, Blackjack whinnied at them and tried to lick Annabeth's face, while she giggled. Nico, he wasn't so fond of, so he just reared at him. Nico was already used to it.

Playing with Blackjack's mane, Annabeth said, "Nico, can I ask you a question?"

"Sure."

"Do you like Thalia?"

Nico's eyes widened, he was surprised by that question. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Annabeth narrowed her eyes. "I see the way you look at her, Nico. And by the way, I think she likes you too." She grinned at him.

Nico suddenly seemed interested, "You think so?"

Annabeth noticed his rekindled curiosity. "So you do like her." She tried not to giggle, "You two could actually make a cute couple—"

Nico interrupted, "But she's a hunter. And hunters aren't allowed to, you know, like boys."

Annabeth smiled cheekily, "There's a loophole in everything. Hunters can like boys but they can't show their feelings of attraction at all. If you're worth quitting the hunters, then you're lucky."

Nico's heart sunk; Thalia would never quit the hunters. They had been close friends lately, and she normally expressed how much she loved her new family. And either way…

"Annabeth, even though she likes me… there's something I have to tell you—"

Just then Thalia appeared in his field of view. She waved at them, then came up to them.

"Hey guys! Still doing that quest, about which you won't disclose to anyone the plan?" she said this wistfully. She slung an arm around Annabeth's neck.

Annabeth smiled at her, "No, we're still not telling you."

Thalia sighed then stuck out her tongue. She then turned to Nico and raised her eyebrows with a smile, "Why so stiff, Death boy?"

Nico exhaled, "It's nothing. What are you doing still around? I thought you were supposed to be tailing that loose hydra in Chicago."

"I wanted to spend one more day here. I'm going in a few hours actually. And I owe you another sword fight." She smiled.

"Thalia, you beat me the last time," Nico said, not at the least bit embarrassed. Thalia was a formidable opponent. At their last match in the sword arena, they were alone. And it got heated for a few moments. They almost kissed, but both hesitated for their own individual reasons. After that, they decided to act like nothing happened.

"Maybe you'll be lucky this time." Thalia said quietly. Nico was finding it hard reading between the lines.

Annabeth suddenly cleared her throat. "Not today, Thalia, sorry. Annabeth and I have to go in a few hours. We found a new lead…" Nico said, looking down.

Thalia tried to hide her disappointment. "It's okay."

"I'll make it up, when I come back." Nico said suddenly.

"No, it's okay. I don't want to spoil your schedule."

"You really won't be. This time Friday?"

Thalia grinned and said, "I'll see if I can make it. See ya Death boy. Be safe you two." She ran back to her hunters who were waiting for her a distance away.

Annabeth looked sympathetically at Nico. "Nico, you know we'll have to tell people what we're going to do. You don't have to be the sacrifice."

Nico ignored her. For one excruciating moment, he had second thoughts about sacrificing himself. But he remembered what his father had told him. _Love isn't for Hades-borne demigods. The Fates will always find a way to make it tragic. Save yourself and refrain from making attachments. We are meant for bigger things. We make the sacrifices that no one else can make._

**PRESENT**

Percy had taken Annabeth's Yankees cap and decided to walk around the beach to clear his mind. He was torn between staying here and mourning for Annabeth and going to kill Metis. In the end he decided that his thirst for revenge surpassed mourning.

_Annabeth would want this, _he thought to himself, doubtfully. For a scary moment, he thought he was going crazy.

He returned to his cabin and left a note saying his plan. Then he ran to the stables. Blackjack was glad to see him, but not in this state. Percy looked depressed.

_Hey boss, are you okay?_

"I need to get to the Grand Canyon." That was where Prometheus was hidden. Metis would probably be there.

_Uuh, why?_

"I'm going to find Metis."

Blackjack backed away, _And if you find her…?_

Percy sighed, "Blackjack I have to avenge Annabeth's death."

_Do you have to do it like this?_

"Blackjack…"

_Boss, you need to think twice about what you're doing…_

"You don't understand." He turned away, "She killed her. In cold blood. Right in front of me. You don't kknow how that feels. But I do."

Blackjack neighed incessantly.

Percy turned, his expression serious. "Fine, if you can't do this for me…then at least do it for Annabeth."

Blackjack sighed – if horses could sigh – _Fine, get on._


	5. Chapter 5

Annabeth opened her eyes. She got up from the dusty ground she was lying on and looked around in astonishment.

The sky was pitch black, but somehow she could see well, even without squinting her eyes. Where was she? It looked like an endless desert of black.

Suddenly, a goddess in a red flowing robe appeared in front of her. She was grinning.

Annabeth already pieced it together. She snarled, "You witch, you double-crossed me."

"Sometimes, you have to do things for the greater good." Hecate said succinctly and vanished.

_Great, _Annabeth thought.

~O~

Percy arrived at the Grand Canyon just early in the morning. As he predicted, Metis was there. But she wasn't excavating or anything. She was sitting atop a boulder, having a cup of tea. Percy was confused, but he tried not to show it.

Metis seemed to acknowledge their presence when Blackjack's hooves hit the ground in an unsubtle manner. Percy dismounted the black Pegasus and dusted off his pants. He noticed he hadn't even changed since the day Annabeth had died, so her dried blood still stained it. He shook the thought out of his head and uncapped his bolt pen, revealing Riptide.

Metis set down her small teacup and raised her eyebrows at Percy. "You're late. I was expecting you to arrive hours ago. Quite un-gentlemanly, if I may say so."

Percy grit his teeth, "I'm going to kill you." He advanced, raising his sword.

Metis raised a hand and feigned horror, then frowned, "Wait. Don't I get to say my last words?"

"No, you don't get to have them," Percy raised his voice, "You deserve to rot in Tartarus forever!"

Metis started laughing, as if what Percy said was the most hilarious joke ever. Percy slowed down. "You don't even know what's going on do you?"

"You're laughing now but not for long. You might be immortal but if gods bleed, then they can die." Percy threatened.

Metis slid down the boulder and started walking toward Percy, "Well, you're in luck, because I'm mortal now."

"What?"

"Temporarily, however."

Percy growled. Either she was playing with him, or the Titaness of Wisdom just blurted out that she could be killed now. "How stupid do you think I am?"

"Ask your friend, Nico. He was the one who caused this. Of course, at the expense of Annabeth's life."

That was the last straw. With lightning speed, Percy ran Riptide through Metis, who was daft enough to approach Percy. He twirled the sword around her stomach just to be sure.

He watched her distorted face and asked, their faces inches from each other, "_Now _do you have any last words?"

Blood flowed freely from her mouth, but she was able to utter four words that startled Percy…

~O~

Nico was sitting at the back of the white van Chiron had hired earlier, which was a few hours away from the famous landmark named the Grand Canyon. Thalia was sitting across him, and she was glaring at the back window. She had not faced him since they had started their journey.

Nico sighed and tried to start a conversation. Again. "So…Thalia, you want some strawberries?"

She turned to him, her eyes lightning blue, "I'm not talking to you."

"They're freshly picked from our own farms." He said with a forced smile.

Nico knew that Thalia loved strawberries. But even that offer couldn't wipe the angered look on her face. "You know, I thought we were close."

"Thalia, for the hundredth time, I'm sorry. Annabeth made me swear on the river Styx not to tell you about our plan."

"That's not what I'm talking about! It's the fact that you would readily accept to kill yourself."

Nico was speechless. "I—" he kept silent when Thalia neared him. It looked like she was going for a kiss but to Nico's dismay, she just wanted to snatch the strawberry on his hand. Her hand, though, lingered on top of his for a while.

"You know you're going to have to tell Percy about your plan with Annabeth." Thalia looked him in the eye.

Nico groaned, "I can't do it. I just can't"

"Relax. It's not like Percy's going to kill you."

Chiron, who was sitting shotgun, turned to us with a worried yet calm look. "Nico, Thalia, did any of you watch or read the weather forecast for today?"

Thalia let go of my hand – we barely noticed that we had held hands – and looked perturbed, "No. why?"

"There seems to be a hurricane right in front of us…"

Thalia looked at me with a fake smile. "So maybe he _is _going to kill you."


End file.
